The Internet of Things (IoT) may be the most powerful emerging technology in the world today. It is doing for systems and devices what the web has done for people around the world and is turning isolated devices into nodes on sophisticated decision-making networks. Growth predictions are staggering, and companies that successfully bring products to market stand to earn enormous profits. However, the competition will be fierce, successful companies will be those that can overcome the substantial challenges and do so quickly. One of the biggest challenges of IoT applications is their complexity, and no company, regardless of size can address those complexities alone.
A typical IoT application involves sensors, processors, networking, software, manufacturing, cloud based central control systems, and more. The hard way to pull all those pieces together is to research and evaluate options for each project, taking time away from all the other tasks involved in IoT product development. A far easier way is to work with partners in an established “IoT ecosystem,” a collection of tested and proven entities with expertise in the various component areas that make up a successful implementation.
An IoT Ecosystem
Developing your own IoT ecosystem is the ideal solution, but one way to manage the complexities is to work with partners that have already established the ecosystem you’ll need to propel your innovative application from concept to market. A recent survey by Cisco suggests that as many as a third of IoT initiatives fail and many of the others fall short of goals. The successful ones, the survey concludes, tend to be those that engage with an IoT partner ecosystem at every stage.
NimbeLink and Partners are presenting a Keynote on the value of building an IoT Ecosystem Thursday, June 29th. Transitioning from a Component Company to a Solutions Company - "One Company’s Journey in Creating a Partner Ecosystem."
Sensors Expo has created a dedicated presentation track on the vast area of IoT and partnered with NimbeLink® and IoT Solutions Company to lead the IoT Connectivity Ecosystem. NimbeLink will also be participating in some of the 14 tracks over the two-day exhibit. Attendees can expect to learn a variety of aspects around IoT design, development and deployment and including ecosystem at large, from an expert panel hailing from many of today’s top IoT player’s.
The Sensors Expo Ecosystem Track
- The Survey Says: A review of survey results on the IoT and Analytics Market
- Intelligence at the Edge, a case study
- Sensor Spotlight Demo: PMC Engineering / NimbeLink
- Why Projects Fail – an Inquest Panel of IoT
- Hello, I wanna buy some IoT - How enterprises purchase
- Intelligence in the Cloud, a case study
- Is cellular right for your application
- Decision criteria for moving your sensed data to someone that cares
- IoT 101: From the Edge to the Enterprise - Functional Decomposition of the IoT Ecosystem
- The Journey to finished products
- What processor for what application
- Securing your IoT Solution
- Sensor Spotlight Demo: Keller America / NimbeLink
Besides NimbeLink, some of the presenters will include representatives from many partners in NimbeLink’s own IoT ecosystem including: Verizon, Sequans, Digi-Key, Taoglas, Telit, James Brehm Consulting, The Nerdery, GetWireless, Anaren, Exosite and others. Detailed information on the Sensors Expo Ecosystem Track presentations can be found at: http://nimbelink.com/event/sensors-expo/
NimbeLink will be in Booth #1242 demonstrating various components of the Skywire™ Cellular modem family, including the NimbeLink Asset Tracker, an end-device built around the Cat M1 modem and relying on the partnerships within NimbeLink’s IoT ecosystem, will also be featured. “Our ecosystem has been vital to development of all of our products and enabled us to be first to market time and time again,” says NimbeLink’s CEO, Scott Schwalbe. “Our ecosystem not only provides technologies and capabilities that go into our products, but they also keep us ahead of the curve on trends and developments in the technology and the industry.“
The Cat M1 Modem
IoT applications have challenged cellular networks to come up with low-cost, low-power services for applications with the low of modest bandwidth needs. The industry responded with Cat M1 service over the existing LTE network. Cat M1 is ideal for low-bandwidth operation. It costs significantly less than LTE services and greatly reduces the power needs of modems accessing the network. This enables the creation of battery-powered mobile devices, off-the-grid fixed applications, and extended battery backup of grid-powered devices.
NimbeLink’s Skywire Cat M1 embedded modem was first-to-market in the industry, taking full advantage of the power-saving features of Cat M1 service. Like all modems in the Skywire family, it is supported with a variety of hardware and software development tools to help designers speed their products to market. The Cat M1 is priced to enable the large deployments that will typify IoT rollouts.
Skywire Asset Tracker
Utilizing the company’s IoT ecosystem, NimbeLink has designed and built the Skywire Asset Tracker, a powerful tracking tool that can be attached to fixed or mobile equipment and material, run without external power or charge, and be readily accessed over the cellular network to identify location in real time. Aside from the capabilities of the device itself, it is a product that owes its existence to a well-developed IoT ecosystem.
The Asset Tracker will be available for inspection along with the Cat M1 modem in Booth #1242. NimbeLink staffers will be available to answer questions regarding Skywire products, the company’s IoT Ecosystem, and visitors’ specific applications and needs. We look forward to seeing you at the show and at IoT Ecosystem Track presentations.
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About the Author
Scott Schwalbe is the CEO of Nimbelink. He has a history of building profitable businesses and successful teams, with 15 years executive leadership experience. In addition to serving in the US Navy, he has held executive-operations and business-development roles at Celestica, HDM and Logic PD. Scott holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch.